The girl, who is identified only as Child H, was not left with an appropriate adult any of times she was left in police cells, a report by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPC) found.

Her mother, known only as Mrs H, called for an immediate ban on police forces using spit hoods on children.

My daughter’s contact with the police in 2012 was nothing short of a nightmare for both of us. At the time her disability meant that she could behave in very challenging ways, but what she needed was patience, respect and the support of her mother. Instead she was locked up in a police station without me or anyone else who knew her for support.

I know that some of the officers were doing their best, but I cannot understand why others thought it was appropriate to put an 11-year-old girl in handcuffs and leg restraints. I can’t accept that it will ever be appropriate for the police to hood a disabled child, regardless of how they behave. I call on Sussex Police to stop doing this to children immediately.

The little girl is said to have a neurological disability that had not been diagnosed at the time, although her mother had told police that she believed the little girl had a disorder on the autism spectrum.

The IPCC found that six custody sergeants had misconduct cases to answer as well as the two police constables for using the handcuffs.

Solicitor Gus Silverman, who is representing the family, said no assurances had yet been given that Sussex Police would stop the practice of using spit hoods on children and had yet to issue an apology.

He told Metro.co.uk: ‘Police officers need to balance the unpleasantness of being spat at with the lasting damage and emotional impact it will have on a child if placed in a spit hood. They also need to consider what message [allowing spit hood use on children] sends out to their officers.’